FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag (AP Photo) FC Barcelona star Lamine Yamal found himself back in the spotlight during the club’s La Liga title celebrations after waving the Palestinian flag during the team’s open-top bus parade through the streets of Barcelona. The 18-year-old winger, regarded as one of football’s brightest young talents, was seen holding a Palestinian flag as he celebrated Barcelona’s league triumph with team-mates on Monday. Yamal later shared images of the moment on his Instagram account as thousands of supporters filled the streets to celebrate the campaign winning the title. According to reports, nearly 750,000 fans attended the celebrations as Barcelona recorded another home triumph. Yamal’s gesture quickly attracted global attention amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the wider international response to the conflict. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was asked about the incident at a press conference on Tuesday. While the German coach admitted that he generally prefers to avoid such situations, he also made it clear that Yamal is mature enough to make his own decisions. “I don’t normally like that,” Flick said. “I talked to him. I said if he wants to do it, it’s his decision. He’s old enough. He’s 18 years old.” Backlash against Israel is growing around the world due to the humanitarian impact of the war in Gaza, with demonstrations and protests appearing at several sporting and cultural events, including football, cycling and basketball. Spain was also among the countries that protested Israel’s inclusion in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Jamal, whose father is Moroccan and openly Muslim, appeared to show support for the Palestinians with the gesture during the celebrations. Despite the controversy, Flick insisted he remained focused on the bond between the club and its supporters after the title-winning season. “We play football and you see what people expect from us,” added Flick. “We play football to make people happy. For me, that’s the first thing we have to do.” Yamal continues to rise rapidly in world football and is widely regarded as one of the prime candidates to become the sport’s next global superstar after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Spain international is expected to be one of the most prominent names at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
